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Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (original version)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (MKvs.DCU) is a crossover fighting video game between Mortal Kombat and the DC Comics fictional universe, developed and published by Midway Games (their last entry in the franchise before they went bankrupt in 2009 and sold the franchise to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment). The game is also the eighth instalment in the main Mortal Kombat series, despite the story not being connected to the first seven games or any other game that was released after this one. The game was released on November 16, 2008 and contains characters from both franchises. Its story was written by comic writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. The game was followed by a Mortal Kombat reboot in 2011 and by Injustice: Gods Among Us in 2013. The game takes place after Raiden, Earthrealm's god of thunder, and Superman, Metropolis' defender, repel invasions from both their worlds. An attack by both Raiden and Superman simultaneously in their separate universes causes the merging of the Mortal Kombat and DC villains, Shao Kahn and Darkseid, resulting in the creation of Dark Kahn, whose mere existence causes the two universes to begin merging; if allowed to continue, it would result in the destruction of both. Characters from both universes begin to fluctuate in power, becoming stronger or weaker. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 and is available for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms. It is the first Mortal Kombat title developed solely for seventh generation video game consoles. Most reviewers agreed that Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was entertaining and made good use of its DC Universe license, but the game's lack of unlockable features as opposed to past installments of Mortal Kombat and toned-down finishing moves garnered some criticism. Gameplay The game features a story mode, playable from two different perspectives. The perspectives consist of one segment from the DC Universe side, and one from the Mortal Kombat side, each split up into various chapters.3 Depending on which side players choose, the characters from one universe see those from the opposite universe as the invaders of their own. The player has the ability to play as all the characters in the story mode at one point during development, but the story mode ultimately lacked story arcs for a few characters.34 Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe also contains a mode called "Kombo Challenge", where players must perform ten pre-created combos of increasing difficulty.56 Intertwined within fight matches, which are played in a 3D fighter style, are new gameplay modes, such as "Free-Fall Kombat" or "Falling Kombat," which are activated automatically after throwing the opponent to a lower level in the arena. The players can fight in the air during the fall in a quasi-mini-game, with one player having to hit certain buttons to be above the other during the fall and land on the other player when the fall ends.7 "Klose Kombat" is a mode the players can enter during a fight, causing the characters to lock with each other and the perspective to change to a close-up shot of the two, to make for an interval of close-quarters fighting.3 A "Test Your Might" mini-game is also worked into the gameplay; while fighting in certain areas, the player can smash the opponent through a series of walls and engage in a tug-of-war with the damage meter at the top of the screen. The player on the offense presses buttons to increase damage given, while the player on the defense presses buttons to decrease damage taken.7 Another in-fight feature called "Rage mode" is introduced in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. The Rage mode is governed by a rage meter placed below the player's health meter that fills progressively every time the player receives damage or attacks. Once the meter is completely filled, Rage mode can be activated and lasts for several seconds. Rage mode enables the player to break the opponent's guard on the second hit, prevents the attacker from experiencing hit stun, knockdown or pop-up, and increases the damage of an attacker's moves.7 During fights, characters show permanent signs of damage, such as bruises, scrapes, bleeding, and broken or torn clothing.8 All of the characters except Darkseid, Shao Kahn, and Dark Kahn have finishing moves; the Mortal Kombat characters and the DC villains can execute Fatalities, while the DC heroes can execute moves called "heroic brutalities," which function in the same manner but do not kill opponents, in order to stay in tone with the heroes who have an established reputation of never taking a life.9 Plot Synopsis This story is set after the events of Outworld invasion. Around the same time as Shao Kahn's defeat, Superman had just defeated Darkseid; however, Darkseid and Shao Kahn's defeat somehow caused them to merge into a single being known as Dark Kahn and cause the kombatants & DC heroes/villians to be consumed by a pure Rage and fight against each other. As a result, the two universes began to merge. Eventually, one member from each side remained: Raiden and Superman. Upon discovering that they both have a common enemy (Dark Kahn), they team up to defeat Dark Kahn, causing him to split back into Shao Kahn and Darkseid, on opposite universes. Shao Kahn would be trapped in the fragmented Phantom Zone, while Darkseid was punished by the Elder Gods and sent to the Netherrealm. Chapters Mortal Kombat Side # Liu Kang # Sonya Blade # Jax Briggs # Sub-Zero # Scorpion # Shang Tsung # Raiden DC Side # Flash # Batman # Wonder Woman # Green Lantern # Shazam # Joker # Lex Luthor # Superman Prologue Shao Kahn has recently failed in his latest bid to merge Earthrealm with Outworld. As he regroups with his second-in-command, the sorcerer Quan Chi, Raiden confronts him directly. Quan Chi makes a bid to escape, only for Shao Kahn to knock him out of the way with his Wrath Hammer. Raiden attempts to use his lightning blast to knock Shao Kahn through the portal, but this instead causes it to destablize, until it eventually explodes with Shao Kahn inside it. Raiden then takes Quan Chi to the Elder Gods, so that they may pass their judgement upon him. At the same moment, in Metropolis, Superman has finally defeated Darkseid and his army of Parademons. Darkseid attempts to escape through a dimensional Boom Tube whilst Superman argues with Lex Luthor, who had helped Darkseid invade Earth. Superman stops him with his heat-vision, which causes the Boom Tube to become disrupted and explode with Darkseid inside it. He then turns Luthor into the authorities. Unknown to either Raiden or Superman, the explosions do not kill either Shao Kahn or Darkseid, but instead merge them into a singular monstrosity known as "Dark Kahn". As a result of Dark Kahn's existence, the two universes start merging with each other, whilst a mysterious force known simply as "Kombat Rage" starts to spread through the various warriors. Mortal Kombat Story Not long after the invasion, many of Liu Kang's fellow White Lotus and Kitana's Edenian Forces disappear, seemingly without trace. The two meet up to discuss the issue, and resolve that either the Lin Kuei or Black Dragon is behind it. However, when Liu Kang is ambushed by Sub-Zero, he discovers that the Lin Kuei have been suffering losses as well. After earning Sub-Zero's trust by saving him from Scorpion, Kang battles the spectre until, through an unusual force (the Kombat Rage) he disappears, and is replaced by The Flash. At first believing him to be an illusion by Shang Tsung, Kang soon realizes that Flash represents a different kind of warrior altogether. When he attempts to analyze Flash, he too is infected by Rage, and disappears. This prompts Sonya Blade, who he was in contact with moments before, to find him. After defeating Baraka, Sonya begins to suspect that Earthrealm is facing another invasion and decides to inform Raiden at his Sky Temple. Here, however, she encounters Captain Marvel, who is suffering from the effects of the Kombat Rage. As he matches the description Kang had given her of Flash earlier (Something resembling a red devil with a bolt of lightning on his chest), Sonya, believing him to be the warrior Kang thought, tries to interrogate him, but is interrupted by Green Lantern. The two leave for the U.N. Orbital Space Station, where, moments later, Raiden appears, accompanied by Liu Kang. Unsure exactly who the superheroes are, Raiden begins to suspect that Earthrealm is merging with another realm, and that Shao Kahn may still be alive. Sonya and Jax Briggs travel to the Space Station, where Jax is able to subdue not only Marvel, but also Wonder Woman, who had captured Sub-Zero. Although they do not entirely trust him, they seek his assistance, whereby Sub-Zero decides to find answers from Quan Chi, believing he would know something about the threat of invasion. He turns for Raiden for advice and manages to persuade the Thunder God to inform him that the best way to locate Quan Chi would be to find Scorpion. Sub-Zero tracks Scorpion through Gotham City until he is transported into the Netherrealm, where Quan Chi has been chained to a set of stone pillars as punishment by the Elder Gods. By tricking Sub-Zero and Scorpion into fighting each other, Quan Chi is able to use the effects of the Rage to release himself. He then sends Sub-Zero back to Raiden, and instructs Scorpion to find Kitana. After a few false starts, Scorpion does find Kitana, overpowered by Rage and in belief that he is an assassin sent by Dark Kahn (a name Scorpion isn't familiar with). Regardless, he is able to overpower her for long enough for Quan Chi to control her with his magic. After sending Shang Tsung, Scorpion and Baraka to kill Captain Marvel, Quan Chi takes Kitana back to Raiden's sky temple. He uses the last of his powers to cure Kitana's Rage and, in doing so, gains Raiden's reluctant trust. Here, the kombatants learn from Kitana and Quan Chi about Dark Kahn and the merging of the two realms - supposedly, the merging is fuelled by the rage, which agitates the warriors until they fight, whereby the rage is released, which only hastens the merging. The combined forces of light and darkness realize they must work together to eliminate Dark Kahn and the beings they believe to be his forces - the DC heroes and villains. To do this, they split into teams of two bitter rivals in order to focus the rage against each other (Liu Kang, for example, is forced to work alongside Shang Tsung). However, they are only partly successful in this task. Jax later informs the kombatants that Dark Kahn's "forces" had infiltrated the Special Forces base and used the Portal Technology. Believing that they have gone to Outworld, the combined forces head there too, knowing that, if they fail, none of them will survive. DC Story It has not been long since Darkseid's defeat against Superman, and The Flash is travelling between cities to help fight crime. Whilst trying to stop Catwoman's crime spree in Gotham City, he runs into Kano and, when a strange "Rage" overpowers him, prepares to kill the defeated Kano in cold blood. He is prevented from doing so by Batman, who incapacitates Flash and returns him to the Batcave to anaylze his condition. Here, though, he is teleported to another realm (the Mortal Kombat realm, as it turns out) and is replaced with Scorpion, who attacks Batman in the belief he is Sub-Zero in disguise. Batman is able to subdue Scorpion, and performs some more tests on him when he detects an anomaly in the heart of Gotham, similar to the one Scorpion gave off. Here, he confronts Liu Kang, who attacks him, believing he is Shang Tsung in disguise. After defeating Liu Kang in combat, Batman takes the Shaolin Monk to the U.N. Orbital Space Station with the help of Green Lantern. Moments later, however, Raiden appears and retrieves Liu Kang. From the Space Station, Batman sees that Earth is merging with another world. With Superman nowhere in sight, he asks Wonder Woman for assistance. Wonder Woman searches Metropolis in an attempt to find Superman, but instead finds a panicked Kitana, who seems to speak of a being who she thought had been destroyed, but had returned in a much more powerful state. Wonder Woman, thinking she means Darkseid, tries to get more information from Kitana, but she becomes hostile, fights her and eventually escapes once she has been defeated. Wonder Woman decides to investigate the Fortress of Solitude, only to find that Sub-Zero has encased Superman in ice. She eventually defeats the Lin Kuei warrior and frees Superman. He explains that his powers seem to be siphoning away from him and, after Wonder Woman explains what has happened, expresses his own concern that Darkseid may be returning. Wonder Woman then receives an SOS call from Green Lantern. An enraged Captain Marvel attacks him, and appears to kill him, but instead he is transported to Oa, where the Guardians of the Universe explain to him, Lex Luthor and Catwoman (who had teleported there) about the crisis and that they must work together to stop the threat. Later, Captain Marvel, having recovered from the rage, seeks advise from the wizard Shazam, who informs him of Dark Kahn and explains that, if he is not destroyed, then both Earth and the invading realm will be destroyed. After a run in with Shang Tsung, who forces him to fight Scorpion, Baraka, and himself, Captain Marvel, defeating all three warriors, meets up with Superman, along with Lex Luthor, Catwoman, Deathstroke and The Joker (who had teamed up in a bid to "save the world", according to Luthor), and explains the situation. Believing that, if Dark Kahn is made of Darkseid's energy, he is most likely in Apokalips, Luthor sends Deathstroke and Joker to locate the portal he and Catwoman used earlier to transport to Oa, positive it will transport them to Apokalips as well. During their mission, Joker feels the full effect of the merger (and thus gaining strength) and abandons his mission to take on Batman. Luckily, Luthor had merely sent Deathstroke and Joker as a diversion; he and Catwoman eventually locate the real one at the Special Forces base. Luthor is able to defeat Jax when he tries to stop him, and then a badly Rage-infected Flash, who has subdued Catwoman. Both recover when the other DC heroes and villains arrive. Although all have been infected by the rage at some point, they know they have to take the risk, and all ten head through the portal to Apokalips. Final Showdown The Mortal Kombatants and the DC forces arrive to find that Outworld and Apokolips have been completely destroyed. They confront each other, and prepare for a face-off when Dark Kahn appears before them, and infects them all with Kombat Rage, before forcing them to fight. After a long, hard fought battle, only a small handful on each side remain. Raiden and Superman, fueled by the rage, take their aggression out on Shang Tsung and Lex Luthor, respectively. However, with intervention from Liu Kang/Batman, they are able to overcome the rage, and head off to Dark Kahn's throne room. Once there, Dark Kahn forces the two to fight each other again. When they try to confront Dark Kahn directly (with little success, as he overpowers them), Raiden and Superman realize that they are on the same side. They are able to overcome the rage and fight Dark Kahn together, so that they can channel his own energy against him. Together, they are able to overpower Dark Kahn, and he explodes. With Dark Kahn's defeat, the Mortal Kombat and DC universes are separated, as are their respective inhabitants, and the realms are restored. However, Shao Kahn and Darkseid, although separated, have switched realms and are rendered completely powerless. Shao Kahn is imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, whilst Darkseid is banished to the Netherrealm. Rosters According to interviews, the characters were chosen for their popularity and parallels between the characters from both universes. Ed Boon has said that some of the characters' abilities, especially on the DC side, have been toned down to make them balanced within the game. A case of this Ed Boon mentioned, is Superman will have some vulnerabilities because of magic, otherwise the game would be sorely unbalanced. Playable Mortal Kombat Side * Baraka * Jax Briggs * Kano * Kitana * Liu Kang * Raiden * Scorpion * Shang Tsung * Shao Kahn (Unlockable) * Sonya Blade * Sub-Zero DC Side * Batman * Catwoman * Darkseid (Unlockable) * Deathstroke * Flash * Green Lantern * Joker * Lex Luthor * Shazam * Superman * Wonder Woman NPCs * Dark Kahn * Guardians of the Universe * Johnny Cage * Quan Chi * Shazam (wizard) Arenas * Apokolips * Bat Cave * Fortress of Solitude * Gotham City * Graveyard * Metropolis * Netherrealm * Oan Senate * Raiden's Temple * Shao Kahn's Throne Room * Special Forces Base * Themyscira * UN Space Station * Wu Shi Academy Development Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was Midway Games's last project before filing for bankruptcy and selling the rights to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in 2009.15 In February 2007, Midway Games announced they were planning a new game in the Mortal Kombat franchise, inspired by seeing a showcase of Gears of War. "Mortal Kombat 8" would have been "dark, gritty, serious" and a "back to basics reboot" of the series.16 Eventually, during the planning process, a deal with DC Comics was made and this project was cancelled, thus leading to the development of a different game.17 An announcement in April 2008 confirmed the game as a crossover, and a trailerwas released.18 The only notable aspect that remained from the original project was the use of the Unreal Engine 3, also used in Gears of War. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was co-published by Midway Games and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and was the final Mortal Kombat title to be developed under the Midway label prior to its purchase by Warner Bros. Interactive.19 Midway used AutoDesk software to develop Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, according to Maurice Patel, entertainment industry manager at AutoDesk,20 and Illuminate Labs products for lighting.21 The use of a DC license in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe imposed some restrictions on the characteristic violence in Mortal Kombat games. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was thus restricted to a "Teen" ESRB rating. Therefore, certain Fatalities such as Sub-Zero's "Spine Rip" were excluded or replaced due to their graphic nature.22 In order to keep that rating, two of the Fatalities in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe were censored in North America.2324 In the United Kingdom version of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, both the Joker and Deathstroke's first Fatality depict them each finishing their opponent with a gunshot to the head, both shown uncut from a distance. The North American version has the camera quickly pan toward the victor before the shot is fired, thereby cutting the victim out of the shot completely.25262728 Additionally, one of Kitana's Fatalities which involved impaling the opponent in the head and the torso with her fanblades was modified so that both fanblades impaled her opponent's chest instead.2930 According to interviews, the characters were chosen for their popularity, and for parallels between them from both universes.3 Ed Boon, creative director of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and co-creator of the Mortal Kombat franchise, has said that some of the characters' abilities, especially those from the DC Universe, had been toned down to make them balanced within Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. For example, Boon specifically mentioned that Superman became vulnerable because of magic.3132 Boon revealed that two new characters were developed as downloadable content, Quan Chi from Mortal Kombat and Harley Quinn from DC comics but had been discarded.33 He had also hinted earlier at the prospect of Kung Lao and Doomsday being downloadable characters.34 For the release of the Kollector's Edition of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a new cover was created by Alex Ross. Also included in the Kollector's Edition is a 16-page comic book prequel, Beginnings, which was illustrated by Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias.35 Downloadable content (DLC) had been confirmed by Major Nelson, but was canceled due to Midway's financial issues.36 Ed Boon had stated that they would have been updating Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe periodically with new content all the way up to the release of the next installment of the Mortal Kombat series: "I'd like to have DLC as soon as possible. I think that might be a great Christmas gift to reinvigorate the game".37 Ed Boon said on his Twitter account that the plan for DLC had been scrapped, which occurred because, as clarified by 1UP, Midway had filed for bankruptcy and was purchased by Warner Bros. Interactive after the suggestion of downloadable content.33 Reception Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe received mixed to positive reviews from critics.40 Adam Sessler of X-Play stated: "Whether it's a decade-late answer to the Marvel vs. Capcom team up games or an off-the-cuff boardroom joke gone wildly too far, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is destined to make just about anyone's shortlist of bizarre video game team-ups. Still, sometimes two disparate things can merge to create a unique synergy that makes the melding work, however unlikely it may have seemed at the outset."47 In GamePro, Sid Shuman called it "surprisingly enjoyable."48 Wired.com's preview stated that the concept of the game was "nose-pokingly ludicrous", noting that Superman's powers could be used to easily defeat a character with the comment, "from Sub-Zero to Well-Done in eight seconds flat."49 ABC News praised the game's story because it did "a great job of giving players a cohesive, if far-fetched, story line that's fun if not engaging," as well as "comic book-like" dialogue.50 Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's Kombo Challenge mode was criticized as a thin and frustrating mode with combos that required very precise timing.64247 The modes of Klose Kombat and Free-fall Kombat were praised as concepts but were criticized in their execution as they appeared to slow the gameplay down and took the player out of the fast gameplay experience.6 Critics noted that the change in the amount of gore was disappointing to longtime fans of the series who were used to the "insane amounts of gore."8 The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry approved of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe because of its departure from the earlier M-rated games of the series praising its "simpler play, familiar graphics and adjustable gore content" but still not recommending it for younger players.51 In 2008, GamePro, ranked it as the 15th best fighting game out of 18.52 Midway Games announced that as of January 26, 2009, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe had shipped 1.8 million copies since its release in mid November 2008, not including the sales of the Kollector's Edition.53 The chief operating officer of GameStop stated that the Kollector's Edition of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe made up 55% of the game's total sales at GameStop locations in its first week.54 In their 10-K filing, Midway Games revealed the title had sold over 1.9 million units, making it one of the company's most successful titles since 2002.55 According to Wired.com, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe also "holds the distinction of being the most pre-ordered MK game of all time."56 In a ranking by Rentrak, the Xbox 360 version of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was the sixth most rented game of 2009.57 Downloadable Content Ed Boon said that there would be Downloadable Content for the game, however, none were ever released. He had hinted on adding new chapters and costumes for the characters, but, as he later explained in his Twitter page that DLC is currently not possible and confirmed that the two DLC characters who were planned to be released were Quan Chi for the MK side and Harley Quinn for the DC side. Doomsday and Kung Lao were also hinted at by Ed Boon. Later on, the development team behind the Mortal Kombat series was reformed as NetherRealm Studios. NetherRealm would develop Kung Lao and Quan Chi for Mortal Kombat (2011), three years after the crossover. Both Harley Quinn and Doomsday were made playable for Injustice: Gods Among Us, their second console game with DC Comics. Kollector's Edition The Kollector's Edition was later released for both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 platforms. Its contents included the game, a comic book based on the game, a sealed copy of the Kollector's Edition's box art, and a blu-ray copy of the first Mortal Kombat film. Trivia * A free copy of this game was included when pre-ordering Injustice: Gods Among Us at Walmart. * This is the first Mortal Kombat ''game where the voices are recorded in California instead of in Chicago. ** The game's voices were recorded at New Generation Pictures. * This is the only ''Mortal Kombat game in the series that is not rated Mature in any platform due to lowering the level of violence in the Fatalities and restricted use of the DC license. ** As a result, this game is sometimes criticized by the fan base because of its toned-down violence and Fatalities relative to the other games in the series. * There are several important characters from both universes who are mentioned in the game, but are not playable and, in most occasions, do not appear in it at all. ** In the opening to the MK Story Mode, Quan Chi says to Shao Kahn that Shinnok will be displeased by the latter's failure to conquer Earthrealm. ** In the DC Story Mode, during the cutscene where Kano tries to hit The Flash with his eye laser, he says that "you'd give Kabal a run for his money", due to his speed. Wonder Woman also mentions Martian Manhunter, saying he could take The Flash's place during his missions. ** Fujin, the God of Wind and Argus, the God Protector of Edenia appear and are mentioned in Liu Kang's ending. Argus is mentioned in Kitana's ending as well. *** Compared to the above, the only unplayable characters from the DC Universe are Martian Manhunter, who was referenced by Wonder Woman, and Sinestro, mentioned in Green Lantern's ending. * In the official prequel comic, Johnny Cage and Goro on the MK side and Aquaman and Robin on the DCU side can be seen briefly. * MK vs. DCU was the first Mortal Kombat game to be released on PS3 and Xbox 360. * This is the first and only game so-far to feature Close Kombat, and Free Fall Kombat. * Shao Kahn, Darkseid, and Dark Kahn do not have any Fatalities. ** Fatalities or Heroic Brutalities can be performed on Shao Kahn and Darkseid, but not on Dark Kahn. * Sometimes it is possible to not get the story mode achievements as they can be glitched. It may take one or two tries of completing the story mode to get the achievements. * In a Top 10 list hosted by Screwattack.com, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe was labelled #1 for the Worst Fatalities, due to its heavy censoring and lack of blood and gore, particularly noting Kano's Flip Stomp Fatality. * Kitana, Baraka, Kano, Deathstroke and Catwoman are the only characters to not have a story mode chapter. * Aside from the Final Showdown, Catwoman, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Baraka, and Deathstroke are the only characters that are not infected by the Rage during the main Story Mode. * Two special move animations from this game appear in Mortal Kombat (2011), but not as standalone special moves themselves. Kitana's Teleport Spin is used in her X-Ray and (Cyber) Sub-Zero uses his Tombstone Teleport when tagged out. * This is the first game in the series in which the Mortal Kombat franchise makes a crossover with another video game, comic, TV show, or novel. ** This is also the only game in the series to feature characters from another franchise that are a part of the storyline. * Thus far, it is the only post-''Mortal Kombat 4/Gold'' game that does not feature Koins or The Krypt. Category:Games Category:Fighting Games